Saturday, September 29, 2007 Laylo, Antonio must win
INTERNATIONAL Master (IM) Darwin Laylo and Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio Antonio Jr. must win today’s last round matches to secure their bids into the top ten places of the 6th Asian Individual Chess Championship at the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City.
Laylo, however, shows better chances than Antonio of making it to the top ten. Laylo has seven points, which suffices for second place. Laylo dominated Vietnamese GM Quang Liem Le in 42 moves of a Center Counter game in yesterday’s 10th round.
When asked about his chances of making it today, Laylo said, “I have to play it safe because a draw is a good outcome but if the win is there, why not?”
Antonio, not to be outdone, halted Indian GM Das Neelotpal in 40 moves of a Sicilian defense. Antonio shares third place with 6.5 points.
Today’s 11th and last round will be played at 1 p.m. The awarding ceremonies will follow immediately after the last matches around 6 p.m.
Holding on
Second seed and Chinese super GM Pengxiang Zhang maintained his hold on the leadership with a drawn game with compatriot and number one seed super GM Hua Ni in 24 moves of a French game. Zhang has 7.5 points while Ni has 6.5 points.
Also tied in second place are Chinese GMs Hao Wang, Jun Zhao, Yang Wen and Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto. Wang split his point with GM Jianchao Zhou, Zhao drew with Uzbekhistan GM Anton Filippov, Wen beat Indian GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly while Megaranto drew with GM Abjihit Kunte of India.
Five other players are also in third with 6.5 points. They are Zhou, Filippov, Kunte, IM GN Gopal of India, and GM Chao Li. Gopal stopped GM Thien Hai Dao of Vietnam while Li beat GM Chanda Sandipan of India.
Kim Steven Yap yet added another GM to his list of victims as he trounced Chinese GM Weiqi Zhou in 50 moves of an English open. Zhou was one pawn down in the middle game and had to resign to avoid being mate in the end game. Kim has 5.5 points.
IM Barlo Nadera won versus FM N.A. Hussein of Iraq, FM Anthony Makinano defeated M.K.A Russell of Sri Lanka and Voltaire Sevillano downed Wei Po Yueh of Taipei. IM Richard Bitoon was still playing with IM Julio Sadorra as of presstime.
In other Filipino games, GM Eugene Torre split his match with Chinese IM Rui Wang, GM Mark Paragua defeated Vietnamese FM Duc Trong Dinh, IM Wesley So defeated Chinese Women’s GM Yang Shen, IM Oliver Dimakiling lost to IM Morteza Mahjoobzardast of Iran, IM Ronald Bancod drew with GM Amir Bagheri of Iran, Rhobel Legaspi beat FM Ahmad Samhouri of Jordan, Mirabeau Maga drew with Emmanuel Senador, Efren Bagamasbad drew with FM Sami Khader of Jordan, and Nouri Hamed lost to GM Elshan Moradiabadi of Iran,
Standings after ten rounds: 7.5 points – P. Zhang (China), 7 points - H. Wang (China), J. Zhao (China), S. Megaranto (Indonesia), D. Laylo (RP), Y. Wen (China), 6.5 points - H. Ni (China), A. Filippov (Uzbekhistan), J Zhou (China), G.N. Gopal (India), R. Antonio (RP), C Li (China) A. Kunte (India), 6 points – Q.L. Le (China), C Deepan (India), M. Al-Modiahki (Qatar), G. Rohit (India), M. Mahjoobzardast (Iran), E. Hossain (Bangladesh), S. Yu (China) (JGC)
